Representatives of the General Workers’ Union (GWU) and SOL Guyana Inc. met this this morning, under the auspices of the Chief Labour Officer, Ministry of Labour, Department of Labour and affixed their signatures to consummate a new Memorandum of Agreement/Collective Labour Agreement for a duration of two years effective from January 01, 2022 to and including December 31, 2023.
With the new contract, workers will benefit from a 24% increase in pay for 2022 and a further 5% from January 01, 2023.
The 5% increase will be indexed to the cost of living and the inflation rate as at December 31, 2022.
The SOL Guyana Inc. minimum wage for 2022 will now be $130,000 per month.
From January 01, 2023 the minimum wage will increase from $130,000 $136,000 per month.
The SOL Guyana Inc. employees’ minimum wage for 2022 is equivalent to 258.5 % or two and one half times the minimum rate at GUYSUCO. GUYSUCO’s minimum wage is $50,300 per month.
Sol Guyana Inc. employees’ minimum wage is also 294.1% or approximately three times the national minimum wage. The national minimum wage is currently at $44,200 per month.
Sol Guyana Inc. employees minimum wage is also 173.5% or 1.7 times the Public Service minimum wage which is currently at an indecent $74,900.
New rates for meal allowances will be for breakfast $1300.00 and $1,430.00 for 2022 and 2023 respectively and for lunch and dinner $1,400 and $1,540 for 2022 and 2023 respectively.
Two bilateral engagements that utilized approximately a total of eight (8) working hours in a cordial and respectful atmosphere was all that was required to successfully conclude the negotiations.
